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Open Source

Contributed by Owlchemy Labs"Job Simulator" is a virtual reality game from Austin's Owlchemy Labs that allows players to play around in humorous environments as an office worker, auto mechanic, chef or convenience store clerk. It's available on HTC Vive, Oculus Touch and PlayStation VR.

VIRTUAL REALITY

Austin’s Owlchemy Labs hits $3 million in sales for its funny VR game ‘Job Simulator’

The lean indie studio went all-in on virtual reality several years ago and was ahead of the curve releasing games before there was even readily available consumer hardware for most people to play them on. That strategy paid off: “Job Simulator” was a launch title bundled with the HTC Vive VR headset that debuted in April 2016. The company has since made versions for the PlayStation VR and the new Oculus Rift’s Touch controllers that were available at the launch of each.

“Job Simulator” sells for about $30 and is a humorous, cartoonish game that allows players to experience life as an office drone, a gourmet chef, a convenience store clerk or an auto mechanic. It’s full of wacky payoffs and visual puns, and the company has been showing off enhancements and behind-the-scenes snafus at events such as the Austin Games Conference and Fantastic Arcade. The company is also working on a highly anticipated game based on the popular Adult Swim cartoon “Rick and Morty.”

Alex Schwartz, CEO of the company, said in a release that the company’s big risk on how soon VR gear would get to consumers has paid off.

“It’s great to finally see the numbers show that even in such an early market, success can already be found,” he said. “We’re incredibly proud of the fact that our game has struck a chord with so many players across the globe, both young and old.”

The company also said its YouTube videos for “Job Simulator” have received more than 250 million views.

Owlchemy is working on additional games and says it’s also working on tools in “OwlchemyVR” to allow content creators to make and share mixed-reality videos.

Schwartz said: “Tons of people have seen their favorite YouTuber play around in the physics sandbox that is our game, and that’s great for showing everyone how interactive and magical VR can be. These earliest attempts at mixing real-life video footage with virtual reality are the best way to show people what it truly feels like to be inside of a virtual space so we're letting streamers and content creators easily share VR footage that's clear, understandable, and ready for mainstream viewers.”

You can see a brief example of something along those lines below:

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